GRDine

Since starting GRDine back in June/July, I have experienced some of Grand Rapids Best and Worst dining establishments.  I have always loved talking to friends and family about some of the good and bad experiences we have shared around Grand Rapids cuisine.  Restaurants typically have the most interesting stories that go well beyond the food.  These stories range around family struggles as they look to make it in a new city, to the efforts the owners make to be green or buy local.  The stories are endless…

So why is it that the restaurant industry seems to be in the stone ages when it comes to digital/social media???  Restaurants make it or break it based on word of mouth…and now everyone has the ability to participate in these conversations, yet so many still don’t have websites, or an online menu.  Think about the endless conversations that take place on a daily basis around your brand.  It is likely that you don’t have a clue because you aren’t participating in the space.  Now think about how much of that information could be misguided, or inaccurate?  Being a part of the community is now beyond knowing your physical neighbors.  Take a minute to Google, Facebook or Twitter search your restaurant, your name, your competition.  Do you like what you see?

Some of my favorite restaurants are also restaurants that I have had correspondence with online.  Some of these brands even initiate the conversation.  Take a look at Founders, San Chez, and Green Well on Facebook.  These establishments understand the importance of being a part of the conversation.  People who use Social Media like to define themselves by the brands they follow.  Become a part of their image.  Share your stories.  Talk to your customers before they come in the front door.

-Jon

PS: This note was written as I was searching online for photos of several restaurants.  I also enjoy the history of how many of these establishments came to be.

Little Bangkok has been existing under my nose for some time, but I have failed to notice it.  Perhaps the bland Thai Food sign wasn’t enough to draw my attention.  What has gotten my attention however, Thai House has shut down for a month, and will not reopen until next year.  In searching for a close alternative, I have heard amazing things about Little Bangkok so decided to give it a shot Friday night.

Located on Cascade Road near Forest Hills Ave, this establishment is a little hidden from view.  It clearly has a following as the place remained packed with customers dining it, and coming in for consistent take-out.  Their dining room couldn’t hold more than 20 people, but they do a great job of preparing meals quickly and turning tables over.

For the sake of comparison, we decided to order the equivalent to what we would order at Thai House.  We ordered the Tofu Pad Thai and the Gang Gai (A Shrimp Curry Dish with Bambo Noodles).  We were initially disappointed with the serving size.  The price of their food is roughly the same as Thai House, but the portions do not come close.  At Thai House, these two dishes allow for two full dinners.  At Little Bangkok we were forced to order another dish just to fill up.  There were no leftovers, and we were stuck with a much larger bill.

The food was very delicious.  The only complaint I would have would be the consistency of the Pad Thai noodles.  The noodles were a little runny and not at all sticky.  Good flavor none-the-less.

I don’t think we will be making a return unless we have thai craving before my local favorite, Thai House, opens up once again for service.  -Jon

I’m pretty sure I have just been introduced to the best burger in Grand Rapids.  I would have made the argument for Cottage Bar, but Choo Choo Grill blows there burger out of the water.  Have you even heard of this place?  I wasn’t aware until I was introduced by co-worker Dan Willey last Friday (That’s right…I promised the shout out by name!).

Located on a very large lot in a very small red building (Old Train Station I do believe), on the corner of Leonard and Plainfield, the Choo Choo Grill has been serving up one of Grand Rapids best burgers for a very long time.  Any Grand Rapidian  needs to experience the Choo Choo just once…then you will be addicted for life.

Did I mention this place is small?  The Choo Choo has nothing more than a grill, a malt machine, a counter than fits maybe 10, and two booths.  You have to come early or late.  Never be on time or you’ll be waiting to be seated.

When I went on Friday, I went with a group of four.  We left around 11:30 in hopes of beating the lunch crowd.  We were lucky to find the last 4 seats available at the bar as another couple had just finished.  Before I had a chance to review the mish mashed menu board I was approached for my order.  Once you do review the board you notice that you really can only have three things…a burger, steak fries, and a shake.  I opted out of the shake to make sure a food coma didn’t kick in later in the day (I would soon find out that was inevitable).  I went with the standard half pound burger cooked to order.  The option to take on the Legend will be saved for my next trip (consisting of two half pound patties before the toppings are added).

The burger was absolutely delicious.  It had the right combination of beef to bread to grease and left me wanting more.  This was a prized experience I look forward to sharing with family and friends.  Enjoy!  – Jon

GRDine is easily 60 posts into the blog and not once have I brought you any Thai suggestions.  Honestly, I’m really not familiar with many Thai selections.

So, this last weekend, I had a hankering for the classic Pad Thai dish.  The first and only option that came to mind was a small, run-down looking joint near D&W in Cascade.  In the corner of this retail strip there is the Thai House Restaurant.  From the outside you wouldn’t be able to tell if they were open for the day, let alone open for business.   To say the least, this place lacks flare.

When entering, the ambiance matches the outside…dull.  The place was pretty empty, but we did notice what seemed to be a ton of regulars coming in for their takeout.  It became clear that they really focus on the quality of the food verses the “experience”.  I’m willing to put up with lackluster ambiance if the food can make up the difference (sadly, most people are going to bypass great food due to the looks alone).

Sure enough, the food was absolutely amazing!  My wife and I shared the Tofu (Yeah, I know…no real meat) Pad Thai and a shrimp curry soupy dish served with rice (Wow…I really come across as a true foodie with the “Shrimp Curry Soupy Dish…).  I would highly suggest trying the Thai Iced Tea.  Basically it is a sugary tea mixed with what appears to be coconut milk.  Once mixed together it could pass as a milkshake with a thinner consistency.

Overall, this place rocks!  I would likely not come back to sit and eat, but I made sure to leave with a take-out menu.  If you want Thai, go to Thai House!  Besides, I don’t know what other suggestion to give you!

-Jon

Grand Rapids lacks true sports bars.  Sure, I have highlighted a few that I have enjoyed in the blog previously (Uccello’s, My Bar, and Vitale’s in Ada).  When you look at the number of eating and drinking establishments in Grand Rapids, you have to be shocked by the slim count.  Z’s is a true sports bar and staple of Grand Rapids.  I’ve spent many a time at Z’s cheering for the Pistons or cursing the Lions.

Z’s has a great location downtown, but is tucked away slightly on Campau Ave.  It is a stone throw away from the BOB.  However, Z’s never seems to be very busy.  It is a pretty small establishment that vaguely reminds me of the bar from Cheers.  However, I’m pretty sure no one ever remembered my name, and the crowd varies drastically depending on the night.  They have a huge U shaped bar that wraps around the entire interior and takes up 80% of the seating. Around the bar they have a handful of booths and tables.  The largest TV would be a screen that is pulled down in front of the Golden Tee game.  I’m not going to go out of my way to say this place is pretty, but it feels like a comfortable place to go and watch the game. (I forgot to take pictures, and unfortunately nothing is available online.  It is a bit of an eye sore, but you should try to see past that.)

The food is surprisingly good.  It’s nothing gourmet, but it is on the higher end of the spectrum when it comes to bar/pub food.  They like to tout their ribs.  The baby back ribs are very good… However, I wouldn’t call them the best in town.  It’s a safe bet to go with the burger or the make your own pizza.  The pizza is fantastic!

In order to truly call yourself a local you have to experience Z’s!

-Jon

So I dropped off the face of the internet for over a week.  I managed to limit myself to about 30 minutes of total internet usage while I took a trip to the Pacific Northwest (The Pacific Southwest if you visit Vancouver…I was so rudely corrected when chatting with a local).  So, I apologize for the lack of content over the last week or so.

I have been eating out like never before while on the trip (to be expected since cooking isn’t an option).  I will try to relate this to Grand Rapids as much as possible, but I’m going to highlight the food from some of the places I have been since we last spoke.

Port Angeles – Know for Bella Italia (scene in the Twilight movie where someone had a first date…you can tell I don’t know much about the book series or movie.  This town jumped the shark when it came to Twilight.)  I did not eat here, but I did eat at Michael’s.  The Oysters Rockefeller was great, and the chowder was amazing.

Victoria/Sydney – These cities on Vancouver Island had surprisingly disappointing food options.  When looking back at my meals I can only say that I had two I can actually remember.  I had a Goat Cheese and Lamb pizza at a Gastro Pub in Downtown Victoria, and I had a Chorizo Eggs Benedict at Café on 3^rd in Sydney.   Also surprised to see the seafood options on an Island in the Pacific Ocean had pathetic seafood options.

Whistler – Didn’t have a chance to eat at one of the many small and local establishments, but they have incredible coffee options.  I believe I saw 5 small shops at the base of one of the mountains.  Incredible…

Vancouver – Sushi, sushi, sushi…I think that is all I had while visiting.  The options are incredible.  I paid anywhere from $85 to $25 a meal.  Vancouver is renowned for some of the best sushi in the world, but I would have to say that Tokyo Grill in Grand Rapids can compare (only you can’t get much fresher without being a port city).

Seattle – My favorite of all the cities visited.  Seattle has an enormous amount of seafood options.  Between Pike’s Market and all of the restaurants on Alaskan Way, you will not find more options anywhere else.

It was fun to travel and experience foods and restaurants outside of Grand Rapids, but ultimately Grand Rapids has an option for each of the different cuisine types that compares to the best in all of these cities.  I’m not saying this just because I love GR, but because it is ultimately true.

-Jon Dodge

By the title of the post I think it would be reasonable to conclude that, unlike my cohort, I do not like the Beltline Bar’s food.  That thinking would be dead wrong, so allow me to explain.

Yesterday  I got a call from my mother wanting to meet me for dinner (my parents are going to Seattle and Banff for a few weeks) that night.  I obliged and, with my dad’s help, we settled on the Beltline Bar.

After consulting with a few friends (I had never been there before, sadly enough) it was decided (for me) that I would get the famous double-beef wet burrito.

When it came time to order, my wife got the chicken enchiladas, my mom got some gooey thing I don’t remember, and I of course ordered the wet burrito.  Then a funny thing happened:  my dad ordered-and although he is a HUGE wet burrito fan and loves beef to no end-the beef chimichanga.  When I asked why, he replied with a sly grin, “you’ll see”.

When the food came out, I immediately dived into the burrito like a crack addict searching for nickels.  Upon consuming roughly 1/3 of the burrito, I thought I understood what the big deal about the dbwb was.  I could see my dad was enjoying his chimichanga, so I asked if we could swap a piece of each other’s meal.  After doing so, I took a bite that shattered my taste buds.  The chimichanga was incredible.  I thought the dbwb was delicious, but this blew it away.

The moral of this story is, you can prefer the chimichanga to the  wet burrito, or vice-versa, but you should still go to the Beltline Bar.  -TM

So have you been listening to WGRD and heard about the Recession Buster Pizza deal?  Are you out of work and want a free pizza?  What’s the catch?  When WGRD announces free pizza at Mafia Mike’s, you can pick up your free one topping with proof of unemployment.  When this deal is not active, you can get a free 12 inch one topping with a $12 purchase.  Not a bad way to market in this economy.

You wanna Pizza of me?

So unfortunately I have a job (kidding) and am not able to take advantage of this sweet deal, BUT I can fill up on pizza for lunch for no more than $3.  Where can you fill up on $3 anymore without grabbing the 2 for $1 hot dogs at the gas station?  (Please do not take that as a suggestion)

A co-worker and I were out for a quick lunch earlier this week and were trying to avoid the humdrum fast food.  It is really difficult to find a good lunch without the wait.  The only exception, close to the office, would be Olive Garden…Even then there is a gamble on the wait.  So our direction was north of 4 Mile on Alpine.  I had faintly recalled a pizza by the slice establishment by Jimmy John’s, but could vaguely recall the name of the establishment.  However, as soon as I saw the name Mafia Mike’s, I was able to connect it with the radio spots I had heard.

The location is in a small retail strip right on Alpine, and has a few seats inside for their lunch crowd.  The employee working the register mentioned they were offering $1 pizza slices for lunch (apparently this is a daily special).  It was a no brainer and we jumped on the offer.  Our new friend even gave us a complimentary slice.

The pizza reminded me a little of the Vitale’s on Leonard.  The crust was rich and the sauce had the perfect tang.  I give this place a ten based on value.  Worth a lunch trip if you work in the Walker/Alpine area.

-Jon Dodge

So after a grueling month and a half of boycotting the Dog Pit for not being served before close one evening, I decided I have too big of a weakness for chili dogs that the boycott could never last.  The Dog Pit on Monroe Center is now in good standings with GRDine.

Last week I was downtown for a meeting and when the meeting got out I just needed something quick and easy for dinner.  I considered the new Pita House next to the Dog Pit, but how could I resist eating unhealthy?  When I entered the Dog Pit, I was greeted by none other than who I had once referred to as Man-boy.  Let’s call him Keith (I don’t know his real name, but he deserves something other than Man-boy).  Keith wasn’t very busy and served me very well.  I went with a Junkyard Dog, and Frito Nachos…Fantastic!  It must have been my pent up guilt over the last little while I left Keith with a nice tip as an offering of my apology…Not like he’s seen this blog, but it made me feel a little better.

I’ve moved on.  I’ve forgotten the poor experience.  The previous experience has been masked by chili cheese Frito nachos.   We can all move on with the weight lifted off of our shoulders.  Go to Dog Pit!

-Jon Dodge

I find Chinese restaurants to be a very odd phenomenon.   Almost every Chinese restaurant I’ve ever been to in my life has consisted of the same menu, the same prices and the same décor.  If I wasn’t mistaken, they are all owned by a shell company in China that decided to “Americanize” a menu and take about 25% of share from quick serve restaurants.

Since starting GRDine I’ve eaten at 4 Chinese restaurants, but I have noticed there is never really anything special to say about any of them.  I love Chinese food, but it is all the same.  It would be a lie for me to tell you that XO on Monroe Center has better food or service than First Wok.  It’s all about proximity when it comes to this cuisine type.

I do have an interesting tip that many people probably have not tried.  Because most Chinese restaurants are westernized, the food is created for the American palate.  There are a handful of Chinese restaurants where you can request that the meal comes out Chinese style.  Some of the dishes are not going to have a Chinese counterpart, but your server can work with you.  Live on the edge and give it a try and let me know how it goes.

Here are some of the local Chinese restaurants I have tried:

First Wok – Old 28^th Street, Cascade

XO Asian Thai & Chinese Cuisine – Monroe Center

Shang Hai Ichiban Asian and Japanese Steakhouse – Broadmoor (The Japanese side is worth trying out.  I will review this at some point)

Great China Inn – Lake Michigan Dr.

What are your thoughts on Chinese dining in Grand Rapids? –JD